Cork tip cutting mechanism for cigarette machines



Oct. 19, 1954 G. D. HORGAN 2,692,022

CORK TIP CUTTING MECHANISM FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES Filed Nov. 4, 1949 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR GEORGE D. HORGAN "I '1 '4 TTORNEY Oct. 19, 1954G. D. HORGAN 2,692,022

CORK TIP CUTTING MECHANISM FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES Filed Nov. 4, 1949 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR GEORGE D. HORGAN ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 19, 1954CORK TIP CUTTING MECHANISM FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES George Daniel Horgan,Harrow, England assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, acorporation of New Jersey Application November 4, 1949, Serial No.125,550

3 Claims. (01. 16468) This invention relates to mechanism for severingsections of cork or other cigarette tipping material from a web fordelivery to a cigarette web which has been supplied with spaced patchesof adhesive.

This invention has particular reference to the type of mechanismcomprising a rotary knife co-operating with a fixed knife or ledgerplate. With such mechanism it is necessary periodically to sharpen theknives, for which purpose they have to be removed from the machine.After sharpening, adjustments of the knives have to be made to insureclean and square cutting and also to insure that the tipping materialdoes not adhere to the fixed knife. Hitherto these adjustments have beenmade when the knives are replaced on the tipping apparatus of thecigarette rod making machine which is somewhat inconvenient and entailsloss of running time.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved severingapparatus for tipping material which is removable as a unit and in whichthe adjustment of the knives after resharpening may be made while theunit is separate from the tipping apparatus of the cigarette machine sothat on replacement of the unit no further adjustments are required.

By such an arrangement spare interchangeable units may be provided inwhich the parts are already set and adjusted so that when sharpening ofthe knives of the apparatus in the cigarette machine becomes necessary,a replacement unit is immediately available so that loss of running timeis reduced to a minimum.

The invention consists in a self-contained unit for severing sections oftipping material from a web comprising rotary and fixed knives mountedin a support or bracket which is provided with positioning meanscomplementary to means on the tipping apparatus which enable the unit tobe mounted with the rotary knife in correct driving relation withdriving means on the tipping apparatus.

The positioning means may comprise a boss or spigot on the support orbracket concentric with the axis of rotation of the rotary knife andadapted to be inserted in a complementary recess on the frame of thetipping apparatus, said recess being concentric with the axis of adriving member carried by said frame.

The rotary knife is secured to a shaft having bearings on the support orbracket and said shaft and the driving member have complementary clutchmeans preferably comprising semi- .shaft 4.

circular end projections which are adapted to overlap to provide adriving connection.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the severing unit according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view of the unit mounted upon a cork tipping apparatus, onlyso much of the latter being shown to indicate the relative position ofthe units and tipper; and

Fig. 5 is a section showing the drive to the rotary blade of thesevering unit.

In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient modeby way of example, the self-contained unit comprises a bracket or plateI which is provided with spaced bearings 2, 3 for a shaft 4 the axis ofwhich is located at right angles to the plane of the bracket. Thebearings 2, 3 may be ball bearings or needle bearings or a combinationof both.

The shaft 4 carries a rotary knife '5 arranged radially of the shaft andsecured thereto by a clamping plate 6. At its inner end the shaft 4 isprovided with a clutch element 1 which conveniently comprises an axialprojection of semicircular shape. This clutch element extends into arecess 8' in the bracket I which is formed in a boss or spigot 9 ofcircular shape projecting from the face In of the bracket and concentricwith the axis of the shaft 4.

The boss or spigot 9 forms a positioning element for the bracket l andis adapted to engage in a complementary recess l in the frame l2 of thetipping apparatus which recess is concentric with the axis of a drivingshaft l3 having suitable bearings in the frame I2.

The adjacent end of the driving shaft 13 has its end formed as a clutchpart M which is complementary to the clutch part 1 on the knife shaft 4,i. e. it is of semi-circular shape.

When the unit is mounted on the frame 12 the flat surfaces la, 14a. ofthe clutch parts 1 and M are adapted to engage and co-operate to providea driving connection to the knife With the clutch parts formed in thismanner it will be appreciated that the driving shaft l 3 beingsynchronized with the various elements of the cigarette machine, and.the rotary knife 5 being set on its shaft 4 with regard to the clutch Ion said shaft, the web cutting means will be in correct timedrelationship to the cigarette machine elements.

The support or bracket l is provided with a number of screws I5 atspaced points whereby it is securely fastened to the frame I2 of thetipping apparatus in the appropriate angular position with regard to theaxis of the shafts 4 and I3.

The support or bracket I also has mounted thereon, a fixed knife whichco-operates with the rotary knife, the fixed knife being disposed belowthe shaft of the rotary knife. The fixed knife I6 is carried in an armor carrier I'I pivotally mounted on the bracket I and adjustable screwmeans I8 are provided for adjusting the position of the arm I! and thusthe position of the fixed knife I6 relatively to the rotary knife 5. Theadjusting screw I8 is threaded in a mounting I9 carried by the plate Iand engages a hardened surface formed by a pin 20 secured in aprojection 2| of the arm H. A spring 22 secured to the mounting I9engages the projection 2I and holds thearm up to the adjusting screw I8.The arm I! has a split bearing part Ila and. after the adjustment of theknife I6 has been made the bearing is locked to the spindle 29 by a bolt23a. Adjustable screw means 26 are also provided for adjusting theposition of the fixed knife IE on the arm I? after which the knife isclamped to the arm by the clamping plate 25.

Pivotally mounted upon the bracket I and extending horizontally intoclose proximity to the fixed knife I6 is a bottom plate or interceptor26 which supports the cork web as it is fed to the knife. This plate 26is of a rigid character and its operative end 25a is urged upwardly by aspring 2?, an adjustable screw stop 28 which engages a surface on thebracket i being provided to limit the upward movement. The screw 28 andspring 2'. are secured to an arm 29 .of the plate 26. The spindle 30 onwhich the interceptor 26 is mounted is provided with eccentric bearingportions not shown permitting an adjustment of the end 26a relatively tothe fixed knife IS.

A cam 3Ia formed on the knife shaft l is adapted to engage a springplate 3i carried by the plate 28 and depress the operative end 2% of theplate and at the appropriate movement in each cycle the plate 25 pivotsso that its end 280. rises and lifts the tipping material immediatelyafter a section is cut therefrom to prevent the web adhering to thefixed knife I6, thus insuring that the forward end of the web Will befed across the fixed knife.

The bracket I is recessed at 32 to accommodate the lower driven feedroll 33 which projects through an aperture 3 in the plate 29.

' An upper feed roll 35 co-operates with the driven roll 33, the upperroll 35 being carried by an arm 35 pivotally mounted on stud shaft 36ain frame If and urged into contact with the driven roll by a spring 31also anchored to the frame I2.

The cork strip 38 passes over adjustable guide means 39 of known formwhich are carried by the frame i2 and which may be readily removedtherefrom when the cutting unit bracket I is to be removed.

The severed sections of cork strip are delivered on to the previouslypasted areas of the cigarette web 40 which runs between the guiderollers II, 42.

When the unit is removed from the tipping apparatus for the knives to besharpened, the rotary knife 5 is adapted to be rotated manually so thatthe knife may be correctly set. This manual operation may be performedby a suitable tool (not shown) adapted to engage the clutch "I with theknife shaft 4.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is:

1. A self-contained unit for severing sections of tipping material froma web in a cigarette machine tipping apparatus comprising a rotaryknife, 2. fixed knife, said knives being mounted in a removable bracket,a boss on said bracket concentric with the axis of rotation of saidrotary knife and formed to fit a complementary recess in the frame ofsaid tipping apparatus, said recess being concentric with the axis ofthe driving member supported on said frame to enable said unit to bemounted with said rotary knife in correct alignment with said drivingmember to be driven thereby.

2. A self contained unit for severing sections of tipping material froma web in a cigarette machine tipping apparatus comprising a removablesupporting frame, severing means adjustably mounted in said unit, aspigot or boss on said supporting frame adapted to be inserted acomplementary recess of said tipping apparatus, a rotating shaftjournaled in said frame concentric with said boss, and a complementaryclutch on said shaft to, engage the driving means of said tippingapparatus to enable said unit to be mounted with said severing mechanismin correctly timed relation to said tipping apparatus.

3. A self-contained unit for severing sections of tipping material froma web in a cigarette machine tipping apparatus comprising a rotaryknife, a fixed knife, said knives being mounted in a removable bracket,means on said bracket concentric, with the axis of rotation of saidrotary knife and formed to fit complementary means in the frame of saidtipping apparatus, said complementary means being concentric with theaxis of the driving member supported on said frame to enable said unitto be mounted with said rotary knife in correct alignment with saiddriving member to be driven thereby.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 678,837 Grifiin July 16, i901 1,642,998 Mason Sept. 20, 19272,070,281 Leggiadro Feb. 9, 1937 2,195,100 Smith Mar. 26, 1 9402,372,020 Sandberg Mar. 20, 1945 2,399,529 V/illits .Apr. 30, 19462,509,047 Stempel .May 23, 1950 2,519,201 Seidman Aug. 15, 1950

